Bubble Wrap Cowl

By Ann Shayne 8/16/13

Dear Kay,
Snack knitting seems to be the knitting of choice these days. It really helps focus one’s attention to have a self-imposed limitation to use only yarn on hand.
Shyeahright. My attention is so shot these days. My attention span is somewhere between squirrel and goldfish right now. I can’t seem to focus on anything except Words with Friends, where I am sorry to report that SQUEE is not a word.
What you’ve got here is Madeline Tosh DK (shade Graphite) and also Madeline Tosh Vintage (shade Terra). These two yarns are first cousins, with Vintage a tiny bit heavier but I am ROUGHING IT and MAKING DO with what I have.
The pattern is Madeline Tosh’s Bubble Wrap Cowl.
This stitch is a relative of the Ballband Dishcloth stitch. You’re using one color per round, you’re feeling kind of clever. But there are no slipped stitches here. No, it’s much weirder than that. The way you get the fabric to bubble up is kind of great. You knit along, row up on row of easy greasy knitting. Then. At an appointed and dramatic moment, you drop four stitches down, stick your needle into the unfettered stitch and knit it, thereby catching the four dropped stitch strands on the back of the work.
Oh MAN. It just doesn’t get more thrilling than that.
The backside looks like smocking. Remember smocking??? Right up there with tatting, quilling, bobbin lace and fixing dinner as Semi-Lost Arts.
In other news, sometimes somebody blogs so deliciously that you wish you’d blogged it yourself. If you’d like to go along on Gale Zucker’s visit to Nashville and the Monteagle Assembly last month, her three-part recounting of her journey rivals Alexis de Tocqueville, if Alexis de Tocqueville were good with a camera. Gale makes the Assembly seem a lot more benign than it actually is, I will say.
What are you all working on? I could use some inspiration!
Love,
Ann

I’m slowing working on my “A Light In The Window” blanket. Even on warm summer days, I pull the WIP over my knees and thing, “This is going to be a really nice blanket.” And you know what? I think I’m keeping it for myself.
It’s so nice to have you back online again. Gale Zucker’s Nashville/Monteagle Assembly posting is catnip.

I’m working on reading your book “Mason-Dixon Knitting the Curious Knitters’ Guide” which I bought because I’ve been working on a Baby Moderne Blanket for my 9-year old grandson as a replacement for his original baby blanket and I just had to read the book by the gals behind the blanket. I love both … book and blanket.

I am at the “I can’t decide” between projects stage. Therefore, I defer to another teddy bear, knit for a needy child. A worthy project, and because I’ve knit hundreds, I don’t have to think more than a squirrel or goldfish.

No inspiring knitting at the moment, working on plain mittens and socks, but music wise just back home from seeing Don McLean in concert and his four member band were all from Nashville! The concert was great, and Don announced that not long before he came on stage he had just found out from his daughter that he was going to be a grandfather, so he said he would always remember being in Hobart, Tasmania!

I am just emerging from a fit of cast-on-itis that has left me with the beginnings of a pair of EZ nether garments (using up worsted leftovers), a Beekeeper’s Quilt (using up fingering leftovers), and that gorgeous new Kate Davies pattern Braid Hills. Unfortunately, I decided a few rows after the fact that I am not happy with my first attempt at a tulips buttonhole, so I have some ripping back to do on that one. My 8yo asked me to make him a plain black hooded sweater, which is also in progress. All I can say about that one is, if you need knitting inspiration you should stay far away from the land of the plain black sweater.

::scurries away to find some suitable DK in the stash::
How did you know I have sworn not to buy yarn until my stash is knit down to a reasonable level, for certain values of “reasonable”. What a great cowl!

Love that bubbly stitch!
I am trying to finish a wool hat (yeah, in August. I started it last September and it should take me no time at all, but so far it’s almost taken me a year) and then I need to start a simple something for a train trip, because none of my WIPs is just right. Actually, this afternoon I plan a trip to the LYS to perhaps pick up Rowan 54. Because none of my millions of patterns is just right either.
How pathetic! I should just go find some yarn and make something bubbly!

I love both the front and back of this! So lovely. I’m currently working all from my stash. It is ROUGH, especially with all those lovely new Fall pattern collections coming out. But right now I’m knitting a Vivid blanket and Lush sweater, both from ‘Handmade in the UK’. I am very glad I purchased that collection.

Ann. Mixing yarn weights. Isn’t that like putting cardboard in your shoes or drawing a line down the balk of your leg to mimic stocking seams? Has it come to this Ann?
And: THE ASSEMBLY IS NOT AS BENIGN AS IT SEEMS?

Making a Color Affection shawl, trying to decide how I feel about those tight edges. Also knitting my first top-down baby sweater with an Ann Nordling pattern that I’ve had forever. I started both of these because I’ve been working on the Via Veneto table runner all summer and there was no end in sight. The other day, I (finally) dropped those center stitches, bound off, and am in love with it all over again. It’s still not done but at least I get to work with a different color.

Making a Color Affection shawl, trying to decide how I feel about those tight edges. Also knitting my first top-down baby sweater with an Ann Nordling pattern that I’ve had forever. I started both of these because I’ve been working on the Via Veneto table runner all summer and there was no end in sight. The other day, I (finally) dropped those center stitches, bound off, and am in love with it all over again. It’s still not done but at least I get to work with a different color.

Love, love, love this post from “snack knitting” to “my attention span is somewhere between squirrel and goldfish,” and finally, “if Alexis de Tocqueville were good with a camera.” Fun! Also, both sides of the cowl look good…and I do remember smocking!

Oooh, that looks bubbly fun!
I’m designing on commission with special yarn. It has taken six froggy attempts to come up with a stitch pattern that does it justice. Now I’m on cruise control. Bliss.
If you need another WWF pal, I’m pdxknitterati there. My number of friends playing has been dwindling, but I’m HOLDING STRONG.

I am starting the ButtonBox vest from Knitty using Plymouth Mishushi yarn. I don’t make many garments but thought his looked good. I am finishing some stranded color socks from the Blue Moon Fibre from last year designed by Donna Druchanas. Fun knit and pattern. Have you made the color affection shawl by Veera Vellamaki? Awesome project. Or Brickless by Martina Behm? Potato chip knitting, both. Have fun picking your next project.

Bubble Wrap has been in my peripheral vision for a while, but it may have to wait till after Pop Spots by Juju from loops. Currently my purse project is a sock(Willowherb), my conversation-safe project is a Bias Mohair Loop (Churchmouse, Kaffe Fassett KSH), my major undertaking is the Rhea Silvia cowl by Sara Morris, and on the back burner till school starts in September is a half-finished, pigeon-colored Dreambird — fun but requires at least forty-five minute blocks of uninterruped knitting for sanity’s sake. And I really really really want to knit a Ticker Tape like Misa Erder’s, with a different poem, natch. Saw her wearing it at Rhinebeck and was smitten.

No inspiration here. After finishing a summer of socks, I’ve been putzing around swatching stitch patterns for perhaps . . . another pair of socks. It’s too hot to work on a sweater, even the one that’s been languishing for a year awaiting seaming; perhaps inspiration will come with fall weather.
Of course, you might look at my Rav queue for inspiration. Lots of good-looking stuff there!

Your software ate my comment (got an error message and everything). So here it is again. My next knitting project will be my first FIRST that wasn’t conceived by you guys. I’m doing the Hue Shift Afghan from Knitpicks. If it’s too fiddly (ok, if it’s fiddly at all), I’ll come home to MDK.

Waiting to head up to Maine before I reconnect with my Iceland pullie. I’ll finish it up there though, and it’ll be well-timed.
I am amused by the idea of roughing it on Mad Tosh. Makes a very glam snack 🙂

Having just returned from the annual convention of the International Organization of Lace (held in Salt Lake City this year), I am here to report that 1. tatting and bobbin lace are not lost at all!; and 2. knitting projects have been set aside so that I can continue to work on the Flanders and Honiton bobbin lace pieces I began in classes during the convention. OK, not the somewhat-instant gratification that knitting can be, but great yoga for the brain.

Love the Bubble Cowl and the choice of colors! I’m trying to finish an Edda cardigan in cotton before it becomes too cold to wear it. I was going great guns until I started second guessing the yarn choice, which is actually fine. I sometimes think I need a “knitting psychologist” (much like pro golfers need their people). Since your post, I’ve been obsessing about the cowl and colors of Madeline Tosh I can find locally.

Both of your projects are beautiful! That midnight blue shawl is calling to me–and I’m not even a shawl or blue person! Thanks for explaining how I ended up with all these knitting books and a huge yarn stash–sleep browsing and buying! That totally explains it. The only knitting I’ve done this summer is a diagonal baby blanket for my hair stylist and now working on a couple of your garter stitch baby bibs for another friend who is expecting (all knitted from stash). First time to knit the bibs–very cute and fast. Thanks! Also, I’m moving my youngest to college THIS FRIDAY! Even though it’s been LOOMING all through his senior year, I SO can’t believe it. My plan is to distract myself with projects for the next few months!

Ooooh, I would so love to visit you someday in Monteagle. Call me! I’m currently working on my very first Color Affection. Loving.It. I’m on the last bit of the 3rd section, with just the edging to go after that. Hard to get a good pic while it’s squoozed onto a not-long-enough circular. In other news here, the TN State Fair is coming up and you’ve got until Aug 24 to enter your knits and other handmade goodies online! Run, don’t walk! tnstatefair.org

Such beautiful knits! I can’t wait to see your latest fair isle when it’s off the needles. I’m working on Alecia Beth; it’s such a well-written pattern. I may need some Spanx for it to look like I want it to, but that’s another story….

Attention also like squirrel. I do actually find that just playing with the stash and making little things is really inspiring. Doesn’t help the attention span, but what do you need it for? I think it’s a symptom of late August. Embrace. Enjoy. Knit another sock.
And seriously, why are we worried about the slightly different weights of the yarn? For a cowl? Gonna use it for what? Looking good? It’s looking good, I’ll bet a fiver it’s feeling good. It’s good.